I 

"          -  .•         - 


HISTORICAL  SURVEY 


THE  THEATRE; 


ITS   EARLY  DAYS   IN   CHICAGO. 


A    I'AI'ER    READ    BEFORE 


THE  CHICAGO  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY, 


FEBRUARY  ig,  1884. 


Bv   J.    H.    McVICKER. 


CHICAGO: 

KNIGHT   &    LEONARD,    PRINTERS. 
1884. 


THE   THEATRE; 
ITS  EARLY  DAYS  IN  CHICAGO. 


"  What  a  piece  of  work  is  man  !  How  noble  in  reason  !  How 
infinite  in  faculties  !  In  form,  and  moving,  how  express  and  ad- 
mirable !  In  action,  how  like  an  angel !  In  apprehension,  how 
like  a  god  !  The  beauty  of  the  world  !  The  paragon  of  animals  !  " 


\  CCEPTING  the  world  as  he  found  it, 
•*  *•  Shakespeare  made  this  masterpiece  his 
study.  His  theme  was  humanity.  His  intent 
to  so  place  the  "  paragon  of  animals  "  that  he 
might  see  his  "  shadow  as  he  passed, "  holding 
before  him  the  lesson,  that  as  he  was  endowed 
with  attributes  of  God  and  Devil,  to  reach  the 
first  he  must  forego  the  promptings  of  the 
latter,  and  banish  selfishness. 

This    "  beauty  of  the  world "   is  intuitively 


o 

o- 


THE   THEATRE; 


religious  and  dramatic  ;  those  who  dissent 
from  the  teachings  of  the  book  of  Genesis, 
falling  back  on  modern  theories,  may  deny  the 
religious  element,  but  must  admit  the  panto- 
mimic nature  of  their  ancestors. 

Both  the  dramatic  and  religious  elements 
are  birthrights.  The  former  being  first  to 
make  itself  known  —  even  in  the  cradle- 
while  the  latter,  waking  at  a  later  period  and 
being  more  closely  allied  to  selfishness,  has 
been  over-zealous  to  crush  out  that  which 
should  have  been  its  pride  to  nourish,  hence 
for  centuries  a  lack  of  harmony  prevailed  with 
these  twin-born  elements  which  when  reached 
will  make  the  world  more  bright. 

Gervinus  tells  us  that  "  all  the  dramatic 
art  we  find  in  England  previous  to  Shake- 
speare, is  only  like  a  mute  waymark  to  an 
unknown  end,  through  a  path  full  of  luxuriant 
underwood  and  romantic  vvildness,  affording 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  5 

presentiment  of  the  beauty  of  nature — but 
never  its  enjoyment" 

The  birth  of  Shakespeare  marked  an  era  in 
the  world's  advancement  as  potent  for  good 
as  that  of  Luther.  His  religion  taught  in 
nature's  school  with  living  pictures  ;  depicting 
the  deformity  of  sin  that  it  may  be  shunned, 
and  the  grandeur  of  truth  and  charity  that 
they  may  be  embraced. 

It  is  now  about  three  hundred  years  since 
Shakespeare's  company  was  permitted  to  be 
called  "  The  Queen's  Players,"  Elizabeth's 
kind  patronage  having  done  so  much  for  stage 
plays  and  dramatic  literature,  that  in  and 
about  the  city  of  London  a  half  dozen  thea- 
tres were  maintained,  to  the  chagrin  and  hor- 
ror of  those  who  could  see  but  one  side  to  the 
Reformation  then  going  on. 

While  the  origin  of  the  dratma  was  religious 
in  form,  the  motive  of  those  who  guided  its 


THE    THEATRE; 


early  steps  was  not  "  to  hold  the  mirror  up  to 
nature";  not  to  create  thought;  and  when 
evidence  was  given  of  a  desire  to  break  from 
the  shackles  with  which  it  had  been  bound,  op- 
position to  its  advance  came  entirely  from 
those  who  had  endeavored,  but  failed,  to  con- 
trol its  march.  This  opposition  sprang  from 
an  eagerness  to  strangle  nature  and  teach  that 
thought,  with  the  people,  should  lie  dormant, 
— =-  that  no  obstacle  might  be  offered  to  "salva- 
tion by  faith." 

What  a  change  in  brief  three  hundred 
years,  which  are  as  but  a  moment  of  time,  in 
the  world's  history  !  How  different  is  it  now, 
when  we  find  in  every  city  and  village  of  this, 
the  happiest  nation  on  earth,  Shakespeare  and 
the  Bible  side  by  side,  valued  for  the  good  that 
is  in  them !  The  drama  now  finds  a  home 
erected  for  it,  at  the  dictation  of  the  people 
who  crave  it  as  part  of  their  daily  life,  and  in 


ITS  EARLY  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO. 


every  new  town  the  school  house,  the  church  and 
the  theatre  are  looked  upon  as  necessities  to  aid 
in  the  progress  and  prosperity  of  the  place. 

In  this  country  the  drama  was  gaining 
strength  about  the  time  the  place  where  we 
now  dwell  entered  the  ranks  of  civilization  ! 
How  dramatic  was  the  birth  of  our  present 
home!  How  dramatic  is  the  advance  of  man  ! 
History  is  deficient  and  unreliable  in  the  brief 
records  of  that  boon  to  human  life,  amuse- 
ment !  That  which  is  looked  for  with  the  rising 
sun,  and  only  given  up  to  seek  slumber,  seems 
to  have  been  unworthy  the  thought  and  reflec- 
tion of  those  who  prepared  our  history ;  and 
yet  amusement  is  a  great  humanizer. 

By  its  own  force,  aided  by  the  love  of  the 
people,  the  theater  now  occupies  a  proud  posi- 
tion, when  we  reflect  upon  the  terrible  opposi- 
tion it  has  encountered  from  a  most  powerful 
enemy. 


THE   THEATRE; 


What  a  spectacle  was  that  which  occurred 
but  half  a  century  ago,  and  terminated  by  giv- 
ing us  the  home  we  now  love  !  A  capable 
artist  would  find  work  in  painting,  with  the 
bright  colors  of  the  setting  sun,  the  picture  of 
the  signing  of  the  treaty  which  removed  the 
red  and  installed  the  white  face  as  master  here. 
From  the  arrival  of  the  commissioners  to  the 
signing  of  the  document,  scenes  transpired 
which  on  the  mimic  stage  might  find  a  worthy 
place.  A  small  cloud  in  the  bright  blue  sky, 
bordered  with  a  crimson  horizon,  served  as  an 
omen,  warning  the  owners  of  the  land  that  all 
argument  on  the  subject  of  their  departure 
must  end,  and  the  Chief  of  the  Pottawatomies 
and  the  Ambassadors  from  the  Great  Father 
at  Washington  must  remain  silent  till  the  sky 
should  be  clear  for  talk.  The  surrounding 
scene  was  bounded  by  the  broad  prairie  and 
broader  lake ;  the  former  dotted  with  tents 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO. 


and  Indian  huts,  while  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort 
Dearborn  floated  canoes  filled  with  young 
braves.  In  many  places  could  be  seen  that 
curse  and  shame  of  our  country,  the  fire- 
water, which  the  Great  Father  permitted  to  be 
sent  to  his  weak  children,  with  the  knowledge 
that  it  must  fire  the  blood  and  incite  the  worst 
passions  which  find  a  resting  place  in  human 
nature.  The  little  cloud  in  the  otherwise 
bright  sky  formed  a  fitting  accompaniment  to 
this  dark  spot  which  clings  to  civilization. 
The  scene,  to  the  reflective  mind,  was  ani- 
mated—  our  country  was  making  history! 
The  squaw,  the  chief,  the  papoose,  the 
drunken  red  and  the  drunken  white  man 
mingled  together,  while  the  representatives  of 
a  great  nation  wended  their  way  to  the  little 
Fort  to  wait  and  hope  that  the  morrow  would 
dawn  auspiciously  to  them.  A  bright  sky 
came  toward  the  end  of  September,  1833,  and 


IO  THE   THEATRE; 


the    treaty  was  signed  which  terminated  the 
red  man's  claims  to  the  land  of  Chicago;* 

The  prologue  was  over!  During  the  winter 
following  these  events,  when  the  inhabitants 
did  not  number  five  hundred,  the  pioneers,  de- 
pending on  themselves  for  amusement,  started 
a  debating  society,  and  elected  Colonel  J.  B. 
Beaubien,  President ;  there  is  no  record  of 
the  subjects  then  discussed. 

Mr.  Charles  Cleaver,  who  reached  Chicago 
in  1833,  tells  us  that  "  the  store  keepers  played 
checkers  while  waiting  for  customers,  and, 
after  closing,  played  cards.  Those  religiously 
inclined  went  to  prayer  meeting  at  least  once 
a  week,  and  Mark  Beaubien  played  the  fiddle 
at  the  Sauganash  Hotel  for  those  who  wished 
to  dance." 

Doubtless  there  are  now  living  in  Chicago 
those  who  were  present  at  the  first  theatrical 

*Blanchard's  "  History  of  Chicago,"  chapter  xxiv. 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  \  \ 

perlonnance  given  in  the  city,  but  dates  are 
seldom  in  "  our  memory  locked,"  and  hence 
I  have  found  it  impossible  to  fix  the  exact 
time,  yet  for  all  purposes  of  history  it  will  be 
sufficiently  marked. 

The  first  public  entertainment,  of  any  kind, 
to  which  an  admission  fee  was  charged,  and  of 
which  any  record  can  be  found,  took  place  on 
Monday,  February  24,  1834,  but  a  few  months 
after  the  Pottawatomies  had  consented  to 
give  up  their  land  to  the  white  man.  On  the 
1 8th  day  of  that  month  the  Democrat  con- 
tained this  advertisement :  "  Ladies  and  gen- 
tlemen are  most  respectfully  informed  that 
Mr.  Barnes,  professor  de  tours  amusants,  has 
arrived  in  town  and  will  give  an  exhibition  at 
the  house  of  Mr.  D.  Graves,  on  Monday  even- 
ing next."  This  entertainment  was  given  in 
two  parts  :  the  first  being  feats  of  the  Fire 
King;  the  second  a  display  of  ventriloquism 


12  THE   THEATRE; 


and  legerdemain,  which  Mr.  Barnes  said  were 
original  and  "  too  numerous  to  mention."  The 
performance  commenced  at  early  candle  light 
and  the  admission  to  it  was  fifty  cents.  While 
the  classic  tragedian  would  not  admit  that  this 
entertainment  was  in  any  way  connected  with 
his  art,  and  might  claim  that  it  should  not  be 
blended  with  a  history  of  the  drama,  it  must 
nevertheless  be  accepted  as  a  starting  point, 
even  if  his  professional  pride  receives  a  snub. 
The  second  recorded  performance  was  given 
June  11,  1834,  when  another  ventriloquist,  Mr. 
Kenworthy,  according  to  the  Democrat,  de- 
lighted the  inhabitants.  On  the  igth  of  June 
of  the  same  year  a  concert  was  given  by  Mr. 
C.  Blisse.  Entertainments,  shows  and  circuses 
preceded  dramatic  performance,  of  which  the 
first  mention  bears  date  May  29,  1837,  when 
Messrs.  Dean  and  McKinney  applied  to  the 
Council  for  a  license  to  "open  a  theatre  in 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  \  3 

some  suitable  building  for  the  term  of  one  or 
more  months  as  the  business  may  answer." 
The  authorities  were  asked  to  make  the 
license  payable  weekly,  but  the  request  was 
denied  and  the  Council  named  $100  as  the 
amount,  which  sum  must  have  dismayed  the 
applicants,  for  they  abandoned  Chicago,  and 
no  dramatic  performance  took  place  under 
their  management. 

The  original  of  this  first  application  for  a 
theatrical  license,  together  with  others  cover- 
ing a  period  of  nine  years  from  1837,  were 
found  in  the  only  vault  belonging  to  the  city, 
which  withstood  the  flames  of  October  9,  1871, 
and  are  the  only  authentic  records  bearing  on 
the  subject  of  the  early  amusements  of  the 
city  which  I  have  been  able  to  avail  myself  of. 
Among  these  applications  is  one  asking  for  a 
permit  to  erect  a  "  show  of  flying  horses,"  and 
that  the  application  should  be  in  keeping  with 


14 

the  show,  it  is  addressed  to  the  M-A-R-E  of 
Chicago.  No  response  from  his  Honor  is  on 
record. 

In  this  vault  was  found  the  following  appli- 
cation, which  is  undoubtedly  the  first  in  reply 
to  which  a  license  was  issued  : 

"Chicago,  October  17,  1837.  The  sub- 
scribers respectfully  petition  the  Honorable 
the  Mayor  and  Council  of  the  city  of  Chicago 
for  a  license  to  perform  plays  in  said  city. 
They  respectfully  represent  that  this  estab- 
lishment is  intended  to  afford  instruction  as 
well  as  amusement ;  that  they  are  encouraged 
and  patronized  by  the  leading  portion  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  city,  who  are  interested  in 
their  success ;  that  they  propose  to  remain 
here  during  the  winter  and  that  they  make  no 
calculation  to  receive  more  money  in  the  city 
than  what  they  shall  expend  during  their  stay 
and  therefore  they  trust  that  in  offering  a  rate 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  \  5 

for  license  these  facts  may  be  taken  into  con- 
sideration. Isherwood  &  McKinzie,  the  peti- 
tioners, request  this  license  for  six  months,  if 
agreeable  to  the  Board."  The  Council  fixed 
the  rate  at  $125.00  for  the  year,  which  amount, 
the  petitioners  paid,  while  protesting  that  it 
was  unjust  to  ask  so  much. 

The  first  home  of  the  overtaxed  drama  was 
the  historic  Sauganash  Hotel  located  on  the 
southeast  corner  of  Lake  and  Market.  Dur- 
ing September,  1837,  its  proprietor,  John 
Murphy,  had  vacated  it,  to  move  into  his  new 
house  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  and  Isher- 
wood &  McKinzie  converted  the  dining  room 
of  the  Sauganash  into  a  temple  where  Thalia, 
Melpomene  and  Terpsichore  found  their  first 
Chicago  home.  The  room  was  provided  with 
rough  seats  for  about  two  hundred  persons. 
The  floor  was  level,  and  a  few  common  chairs 
were  placed  in  front  for  ladies  and  their  es- 


I  6  THE   THEATRE; 


corts.  Mr.  Isherwood,  one  of  the  managers, 
is  still  living;  and,  until  within  the  past  five  or 
six  years,  occupied  the  position  of  scenic  artist 
of  Wallack's  Theatre,  New  York.  He  painted 
the  first  scenery  known  to  Chicago.  I  wrote 
him  with  the  hope  of  reaching  some  exact 
dates,  but  as  he  has  only  memory  to  rely 
upon,  I  learned  nothing  but  what  I  had  ob- 
tained from  others  ;  though  he  replied  in  a 
very  interesting  letter,  ending  thus  : 

"  In  concluding  this  rambling  epistle,  I 
could  almost  say  with  King  Lear  '  you  do  me 
wrong  to  take  me  from  the  grave.'  I  am 
eighty  years  of  age,  and,  with  best  wishes,  re- 
main yours  truly,  H.  ISHERWOOD." 

In  this  letter  he  tells  me  he  cannot  remem- 
ber the  date  of  opening,  but  thinks  it  was  in 
November  or  December  (it  was  in  October), 
and  he  can  remember  but  one  play  "  The 
Stranger."  It  is  not  strange-  that  those  who 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO. 


were  merely  spectators  cannot  recall  that 
which  one  directly  interested  fails  to  remem- 
ber. 

As  many  of  those  who  formed  the  first  Chi- 
cago Company  rose  to  distinction  in  the  profes- 
sion, the  presumption  is  that  the  acting,  judged 
on  its  own  merits,  would  bear  comparison  with 
that  of  the  present  day. 

Neither  the  exact  date  of  the  first  theatrical 
performance,  nor  the  plays  presented,  are  mat- 
ters of  record,  and  I  have  been  unable  to 
awaken  the  memory  of  some  of  our  early  set- 
tlers who  were  no  doubt  present,  but  who  do 
not  feel  sure  enough  of  being  so,  to  say  what 
the  play  was,  and  the  night  on  which  it  was 
given,  but  undoubtedly  it  was  during  October, 

1837. 

During  the  spring  of  1838,  the  drama  as- 
sumed such  proportions  that  some  of  the  citi- 
zens were  opposed  to  its  continuance  in  the 


I  8  THE   THEATRE; 


young  city,  doubtless  thinking  that  municipal 
success  could  be  assured  without  it. 

On  the  28th  of  April,  1838,  the  managers 
of  the  previous  year  petitioned  the  Council  to 
grant  them  a  license  for  one  year,  dating  from 
the  1 2th  of  May.  They  set  forth  their  inten- 
tions of  becoming  citizens,  and  expected  to 
expend  all  the  money  they  received ;  and 
prayed,  therefore,  that  a  small  sum  be  named. 
They  asked  the  license  for  a  new  home  for 
the  drama,  as  they  were  preparing  the  upper 
portion  of  the  "  Rialto  "  and  shaping  it  for  a 
theatre.  The  "  Rialto  "  was  a  frame  building 
on  the  west  side  of  Dearborn  street,  Nos.  8 
and  10,  and  that  portion  which  was  to  become 
a  theatre  was  a  room  thirty  by  eighty  feet  in 
size.  This  home  of  comedy  and  tragedy  has 
been  described  by  the  poet,  Benjamin  F.  Tay- 
lor, as  "a  den  of  a  place  looking  more  like  a 
dismantled  grist  mill  than  the  temple  of  any- 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHIC  A  GO.  1 9 

body.  The  gloomy  entrance  could  have  fur- 
nished the  scenery  for  a  nightmare,  and  the 
lights  within  were  sepulchral  enough  to  show 
up  the  coffin  scene  in  Lucretia  Borgia."  "  But 
for  all  that,"  continues  Mr.  Taylor,  "  those 
dingy  old  walls  used  to  ring  sometimes  with 
renderings  fine  enough  to  grace  grander  Thes- 
pian temples,  though  there  was  a  farce  now 
and  then  somewhat  broader  than  it  was  long." 

When  it  became  known  that  a  theatre  was 
to  come  into  the  very  heart  of  the  city,  the 
"  Rialto"  ( the  Sauganash  was  in  the  out- 
skirts )  opposition  presented  itself  by  a  peti- 
tion to  the  Council,  in  the  following  words  : 

"Your  petitioners  would  represent  to  your 
honorable  body  that  they  have  understood 
that  a  petition  is  pending  before  your  hon- 
orable body,  for  the  license  of  a  theatre,  to 
be  held  and  maintained  in  the  room  of  the 
'Rialto,'  which  is  a  wooden  building,  and  sur- 


2O  THE   THEATRE; 


rounded  by  wooden  and  combustible  build- 
ings. Your  petitioners  would  further  repre- 
sent that  theatres  are  subject  to  take  fire,  and 
are  believed  to  be  dangerous  on  that  account 
to  property  in  their  vicinity,  and  that  insur- 
ance cannot  be  obtained  on  property  in  their 
vicinity,  except  on  greatly  advanced  premiums. 
And  your  petitioners  do  solemnly  protest 
against  the  granting  of  such  license  to  keep  a 
theatre  in  such  building,  and  thereby  endan- 
ger the  property  and  lives  of  your  petitioners." 
This  document  bears  date  May  ist,  1838, 
and  that  we  may  see  the  opposition  to  the 
theatre  was  powerful,  I  give  the  names  signed 
to  the  petition  : 

J.   Young  Scammon,     O.    H.  Thompson, 
E.   G.    Ryan,  Curtis   Haven, 

Henry  Brown,  Wm.    James, 

Thomas  R.  Hubbard,     Mahlon  Ayers, 
I.   R.  Gavin,  Wm.    H.    Adams, 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  2  I 

Erastus  Brown,  J.  Ballard, 

C.  Beers,  •  W.  H.  Taylor, 

Walter  Kimball,  E.  K.  Rogers, 

Alonson  Followsbee,  Tuthill    King, 

A.  W.  Fullerton,  Nelson  Tuthill, 
King,  Walker  &  Co.,  G.   W.  Merville, 

B.  F.  Knapp,  J.    H.  Woodworth, 
E.  S.   Kingsbury,  S.    Burton, 
Lewis   N.  Wood,           A.  Farnsworth, 

E.  G.  Brown,  J.    A.    Smith, 

Wm.  O'sborn,  B.  W.  Raymond, 

Joseph  L.  Hanson,  Giles  Spring. 
Considering  the  number  of  inhabitants  at 
that  time,  this  list  of  names  was  a  formidable 
opposition  to  any  enterprise,  and  the  Council 
evidently  viewed  the  matter  as  of  the  utmost 
importance,  as  a  special  committee  was  ap- 
pointed and  empowered  to  decide  on  the  pro- 
priety of  giving  a  license.  This  committee 
was  composed  of  Messrs.  H.  L.  Rucker,  E.  B. 


22  THE   THEATRE; 


Williams  and  Grant  Goodrich.  The  fate  of 
the  theatre  was  confided  to  them  and  such  was 
the  importance  of  the  subject,  they  submitted 
to  the  Council  a  minority  and  majority  report. 
Mr.  Grant  Goodrich,  being  in  the  minority, 
made  a  report  strongly  expressing  his  opposi- 
tion to  the  theatre  ;  going  further  even  than  the 
petition  of  citizens.  He  urged,  first  that  the 
place  was  unsuitably  located  in  "  one  of  the 
most  compact  blocks  in  the  city,  composed 
chiefly  of  wooden  buildings."  From  this  fact  he 
contended  that  "  life  was  endangered  on  every 
occasion  when  an  audience  assembled  within 
the  fragile  walls  ;  and  the  enhanced  liability  of 
fire  by  the  production  of  theatrical  spectacles 
caused  added  apprehension  of  peril."  Had 
Mr.  Goodrich  rested  his  case  here,  in  all  prob- 
ability the  "  Rialto "  would  not  have  been 
licensed  as  a  theatre,  for  his  brother  commit- 
teemen  might  have  agreed  with  him  and  one 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  2$ 

report  only  have  been  submitted  to  the  Coun- 
cil ;  but  he  saw  a  danger  greater  than  fire,  and 
with  eloquence  pleaded  "  the  menace  to  the 
moral  welfare  of  the  city  by  the  establishment 
of  a  theatre."  He  believed  "  that  the  tendency 
of  the  performance  at  modern  theatres  was 
grossly  demoralizing,  destructive  of  principle," 
and  that  they  "were  the  nurseries  of  crime." 
He  regarded  the  project  "  as  an  alarming  as- 
sault on  the  stronghold  of  youthful  rectitude," 
and  while  he  appreciated  "  the  plays  of  Shake- 
speare and  the  classic  drama,  the  probabilities 
of  baser  plays  were  so  apparent  as  to  justify 
the  Council  in  denying  a  license."  He  ad- 
mitted the  city  treasury  was  in  need  of  funds, 
but  urged  that  no  "  necessity  was  stern  enough 
to  offer  a  compensating  excuse  for  this  process 
of  raising  money." 

Quoting  from  the  majority  report  of  Messrs. 
Rucker  and  Williams,  I  find  that  they  deemed 


24  THE   THEATRE; 


it  "  inexpedient  to  enter  into  an  inquiry  of  the 
morality  of  the  drama  in  general,  or  of  its 
moral  tendency  in  this  community.  The 
moral  world  has  long  been  divided  on  the 
first  proposition,  and  your  committee  have  no 
doubt  but  that  such  performances  are  ap- 
proved by  a  large  majority  of  the  citizens  of 
Chicago.  It  is  true  that  the  Committee  are 
advised  that  some  opposition  is  made  to  the 
prayer  of  the  petitioners  in  consequence  of 
the  proposed  locality  of  the  theatre,  and 
should  the  subject  be 'brought  before  the 
Council  in  a  proper  manner,  your  Committee 
would  feel  bound  to  examine  the  subject,  and 
give  it  such  decision  as  the  same  demands, 
but  in  the  subject  referred  to  them,  the  Com- 
mittee see  nothing  to  warrant  an  examination 
into  the  question  not  involved  in  the  matter 
before  the  Council.  Your  Committee,  there- 
fore, would  recommend  that  the  prayer  of  the 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CPU C A  GO.  25 

petitioners  be  granted,  and  that  they  be 
licensed  under  such  restrictions  as  the  nature 
of  the  case  may  require,  and  that  the  license 
be  fixed  at  $125.00  per  annum.  Signed,  H.  L. 
Rucker  and  Eli  B.  Williams,  Committee. 

While  Mr.  Goodrich's  report  would  be  con- 
sidered the  most  able  in  diction,  it  is  evident 
he  had  gone  too  far,  and  allowing  prejudice  to 
creep  into  the  subject,  he  had  created  an  op- 
position to  his  mode  of  procedure.  Morality 
had  not  been  brought  in  question  by  either 
the  managers  or  the  citizens,  who  put  in  a 
counter  petition.  'Tis  true  Mr.  Goodrich  may 
have  understood  them  to  mean  morals  when 
they  said  fire,  but  he  should  have  remembered 
that  history  does  not  establish  the  fact  that 
Common  Councils  or  City  governments  give 
much  attention  to  the  purity  of  those  they 
represent. 

The  Council  fixed  the  license  at  $100.00,  a 


THE   THEATRE; 


- 


a  „< 

made.ot 


g   e          dates,  but   my 
facts    regarding 
brought'  only  the  following  letter: 


not  quUe  sure  that 


exact  form,  b 

renting  to  Chicago  theatncals.     My 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  ,.     2? 

way  of  the  lakes,  in  a  steamer,  somewhere 
about  May,  in  the  year  1838.  He  came  to 
join  Alexander  McKinzie,  my  uncle,  in  the 
management  of  his  new  theatre.  McKinzie 
had  been  manager  of  the  old  one  the  season 
before.  I  think  the  new  theatre  was  the  old 
one  refitted.  ( This  is  an  error.)  I  know  it 
was  quite  the  pride  of  the  city  and  the  idol  of 
the  new  managers,  for  it  had  one  tier  of  boxes 
and  a  gallery  at  the  back.  I  don't  think  that 
the  seats  of  the  dress  circle  were  stuffed,  but 
I  am  almost  sure  that  they  were  planed.  The 
Company  consisted  of  Wm.  Leicester,  Wm. 
Warren,  James  Wright,  Charles  Burke,  Joseph 
Jefferson,  Sr.,  Thomas  Sankey,  Wm.  Childs,  H. 
Isherwood,  artist,  Joseph  Jefferson,  Jr.,  Mrs. 
McKinzie,  Mrs.  J.  Jefferson,  my  mother,  Mrs. 
Ingersol,  and  Jane  Germon.  I  was  the  comic 
singer  of  this  party,  making  myself  useful  in 
small  parts  and  first  villagers ;  now  and  then 


THE   THEATRE; 

. 

Senator,  at  the  back, 


Roman 


peering   over 

WaS3UStninr^e       Vor,     in  those  days 
the  audience    used 


ber  following  my 


along 


77*5  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO. 


29 


he  went  shooting,  on  what  is  now  Michigan 
avenue.  Ever  yours, 

JOSEPH  JEFFERSON." 

I  have  letters  from  other  "  Rialto  "  actors 
but  they  are  not  reliable  as  to  dates,  and  mix 
the  Sauganash  and  "  Rialto "  up.  William 
Warren  writes  me : 

"My  experience,  ripe  as  it  is,  does  not  verify 
the  adage  '  old  people  live  in  their  memories 
of  the  past,'  for  I  am  not  reminiscent,  and 
have  never  kept  diary  or  journal,  or  even  pre- 
served letters  to  serve  as  prompters."  After 
giving  his  remembrance  of  the  early  theatres, 

* 

he  adds :  "  Who  to  see  the  great  city  of  Chi- 
cago now,  would  believe  that  such  things  were, 
in  the  way  of  theatres,  and  acted  in,  within 
the  memory  of  men  as  young  as  Jefferson  ?  I 
fear  you  will  say  with  Meddle,  not  much  infor- 
mation elicited  from  this  witness." 


3O  THE   THEATRE; 


The  first  season  of  the  "  Rialto  "  lasted  until 
October,  when  a  benefit  was  tendered  to  Mr. 
McKinzie  by  a  large  number  of  citizens,  who 
addressed  him  in  a  very  complimentary  note, 
lauding  his  efforts  as  a  manager,  and  praising 
the  artistic  excellence  and  private  worth  of 
himself  and  company.  As  I  have  given  the 
names  of  prominent  citizens  in  the  early  days, 
who  were  opposed  to  theatres,  here  are  those 
who  addressed  Mr.  McKinzie  as  patrons  and 
friends,  and  it  will  be  noted  none  of  the  names 
are  found  on  both  lists,  which  fact  may  be  re- 
ceived as  evidence  that  there  was  a  feeling  in 

o 

the  community  on  the  subject;  perhaps  from 
the  fear  of  fire.  Here  is  a  list  of  the  early 
.friends  of  the  early  drama  in  Chicago  : 

H.  L.  Rucker,  John  Calhoun, 

J.  W.  Stroder,  J.  B.  F.  Russell, 

B.  S.  Morris,  F.  Peyters, 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO. 


S.  Abell, 
I.  Curtis, 
R.  Z.   Hamilton, 
E.  D.  Taylor, 
Nathan  Allen, 
Mark  Skinner, 
Julius  Wadworth, 
H.  Loomis, 
T.  R.  Hubbard, 
W.  A.  McClure, 
S.  T.  Otis, 
J.  M.  Smith, 
A.  Garrett, 
J.  B.  Hussely, 
G.  A.  Beaumont, 
C.  H.  Blair, 
G.  Hungerford, 
Charles  Walton, 

W.  Mason, 
i 

A.  V.   Nickerbocker, 


Thomas  Hoyne, 
I.  Allen, 
Geo.  Kerchival, 
A.  A.  Humphrey, 
N.  B.  Judd, 
H.  G.  Loomis, 
Thomas  J.  Durkin, 
Jos.  A.  Cox. 
Clifford  S.  Phillips, 
R.  P.  Woodworth, 

F.  Faxton, 
W.  H.  Davis, 
E.  S.  Kimberly, 
P.  Nichols, 

E.  Maniere, 
Wm.   Wright, 
Thomas  Davis, 
S.  S.  Bradley, 
Frederick  Bailey, 

G.  Glass, 


32  THE   THEATRE; 


J.  Jay  Stuart,  D.  W.  C.  Allen, 

Hiram  Pierson,  C.  T.  Stanton, 

H.  O.  Stone. 

A  similar  number  of  more  honored  citizens 
cannot  be  selected  from  the  inhabitants  of 
Chicago  in  1838.  Their  influence  in  all  city 
matters  was  not  lessened  by  the  broad  and 
liberal  policy  they  pursued. 

Mr.  McKinzie  replied  in  a  befitting  manner, 
assuring  the  gentlemen  their  kindness  had 
"fallen  upon  a  heart  that  is  like  the  wave  to 
receive,  and  the  marble  to  retain  the  impres- 
sion." 

Those  in  the  employ  of  Mr.  McKinzie  ten- 
dered their  services  on  the  occasion  of  the 
benefit,  expressing  the  hope  that  prosperity 
might  "  ever  attend  the  establisher  of  the 
drama  in  the  '  far  west.' '  This  was  signed  by 
Wm.  Leicester,  G.  C.  Germon  and  T.  Sankey, 
for  the  Compa-ny.  The  benefit  took  place 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  33 

October  18,  1838,  and  Bulwer's  play  of  the 
"  Lady  of  Lyons,"  then  new,  was  given  with 
this  cast : 

Claude  Melnotte, Mr.  Wm.   Leicester. 

Beauseant, Mr.  Wm.  Warren. 

Glavis, Mr.    G.  C.  Gormon. 

Col.    Dumas,  -- Mr.  T.  Sankey. 

Deschappelles,   --------  Mr.  J.   Wright. 

Gaspar, Mr.  C.  Burke. 

Officer,  -  -  Mr.  Watts. 

Pauline, -___---_  Mrs.  Ingersol. 

Madame   Deschappelles,  -  -  -  Mrs.  Jefferson. 

Widow   Melnotte,  -      Mrs.    McKinzie. 

After  the  play  Master  Jefferson  sang  the 
comic  song  of  "  Lord  Lovell  and  Lady  Nancy," 
and  Mr.  Germon  gave  Chicago,  for  the  first 
time,  "  The  Hunters  of  Kentucky."  The  per- 
formance concluded  with  the  "  Two  Friends," 
a  very  pretty  drama.  The  curtain  rose  at 
seven  precisely.  In  those  days  and  nights 


34  THE   THEATRE; 


fashion  had  not  seized  the  city,  and  all  things 
were  done  earlier  than  now.  Over  forty-five 
years  have  passed  since  this  performance  was 
given,  and  four  of  those  who  took  part  in  the 
"Lady  of  Lyons,"  are  still  living;  six  are 
acting  in  a  better  world. 

The  fire  of  1871  was  so  destructive  of  news- 
paper files  and  other  documents  relating  to 
the  early  days  of  our  city  that  I  have  been  un- 
able to  fix  the  exact  day  of  the  opening  of  the 
season  of  1838,  or  of  its  close  ;  it  has  escaped 
even  the  memory  of  those  who  took  part  in  it. 
It  is  safe,  however,  to  assume  that  it  com- 
menced about  the  middle  of  May,  and  was 
drawing  to  a  close  when  this  benefit  was  given 
to  the  manager. 

I  find  no  dramatic  performances  were  given 
here  during  the  winter  of  1838-39,  and  the 
next  record  is  to  be  found  in.  the  daily 
''American,"  of  April  xyth,  1839,  which  stated 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  35 

that  Mr.  McKinzie  has  received  a  license 
"  to  start  his  theatre  again  on  the  payment 
°f  $75»  provided  no  fireworks  are  allowed 
in  his  theatrical  exhibitions."  The  "Ameri- 
can," aware  of  the  divided  sentiment  existing 
with  the  community  on  theatrical  matters, 
made  evident  by  the  two  lists  of  names  I 
have  given,  straddled  the  fence  on  the  subject, 
thus: 

"  We  are  aware  that  theatres  are  obnoxious 
to  a  respectable  and  intelligent  part  of  every 
community,  but  they  are  permitted,  and  must 
be  permitted,  on  the  ground  of  general  expe- 
diency, if  for  no  other  reason."  This  was  an 
editorial,  and  sounds  like  many  written  to-day. 
Doubtless  the  editor  thought  he  was  giving 
the  theatre  a  favorable  notice,  and  smoothing 
the  manager's  way  to  success,  while  in  reality 
he  was  stabbing  him  in  the  back  with  ill-chosen 
words,  and  doing  more  harm  than  had  he 


3 6  THE    THEATRE; 


openly  opposed  the  re-opening  of  the  theatre. 
His  editorial  was  calculated  to  create  the  im- 
pression that  the  respectable  and  intelligent 
part  of  the  community  did  not  attend  theatres, 
and  as  all  weak  people  in  small  places  have  a 
terrible  fear  of  "  Mrs.  Grundy,"  and  a  strong 
desire  to  be  thought  intelligent  and  respecta- 
ble, doubtless  many  of  this  class  hesitated  to 
lend  their  countenance  to  anything  which  the 
editor  could  only  approve  on  the  ground  of 
expediency,  they  not  understanding  that  the 
expediency  was  simply  the  desire  to  carry 
water  on  both  shoulders.  The  editor  was  not 
slow  in  finding  out  which  was  the  strong  side, 
and  his  issue  of  May  i3th  contained  the  fol- 
lowing : 

"  When  theatres  are  conducted  so  as  to 
'  shoot  folly  as  it  flies '  if  they  are  not  always 
successful  in  their  designs  to  '  raise  the  genius 
and  to  mend  the  heart,'  they  still  perform  a 


JTS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHIC  A  GO.  3  J 

valuable  service  in  a  very  pleasant  way,  and 
people  will,  in  spite  of  cynics  and  moralizers 
to  the  contrary,  lend  them  the  light  of  their 


countenance.'' 


During  the  summer  of  1839  Mr.  Jefferson, 
who  was  an  excellent  painter  as  well  as  actor 
—  and  both  gifts  have  descended  to  his  son 
Joseph  —  returned  to  the  city  to  prepare  the 
theatre  for  the  Company,  and  the  "  American  " 
announced  the  opening  for  August  3ist,  with 
new  scenery  and  decorations.  The  first  per- 
formance was  Coleman's  musical  comedy-  of 
"  The  Review,  or  the  Wags  of  Windsor,"  and 
the  "  Illustrious  Stranger,  or  Buried  Alive." 
No  cast  was  given  in  the  advertisement,  and 
no  bill  is  in  existence,  but  from  notices  in  the 
"  American  "  at  different  times  we  learn  that 
Mr.  A.  Sullivan  and  C.  L.  Green  had  joined 
the  Company,  which  remained  about  the  same 
as  the  previous  season.  Mr.  Jefferson  had 


38.  THE   THEATRE: 


succeeded  Mr.  Isherwood  as  Mr.  McKinzie's 
partner  in  the  management.  The  "  American" 
of  September  3d  contained  the  following: 

"  The  Chicago  Theatre,  under  the  polishing 
skill  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  appears  in  a  new  and 
beautiful  dress,  newly  and  neatly  painted  and 
provided  with  a  complete  change  of  fresh  and 
tasteful  scenery.  The  appropriate  motto,  'for 
useful  mirth  and  salutary  woe,'  which  looks 
down  over  the  drop  curtain  upon  the  audito- 
rium, conveys  an  idea  of  the  useful  tendencies 
of  the  legitimate  drama."  In  a  later  issue 
the  editor  read  the  ladies  of  the  city  a  lecture 
for  not  attending  the  theatre,  forgetful  that 
the  doubt  he  had  thrown  over  its  respectability 
had  much  to  do  with  their  remaining  away. 
After  assuring  them  that  they  were  perfectly 
safe  in  attending,  he  said  : 

"  If  the  ladies  are  waiting  for  fashionable 
precedents,  we  will  inform  them  that  at  Spring- 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO. 


39 


field  in  this  state  the  theatre  was  attended 
generally  by  the  beauty  and  fashion  of  the 
fair  sex  and  by  the  gentlemen  of  the  place,  of 
all  official  positions  from  Judge  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  down.  This  has  been  the  case, 
we  believe,  at  St.  Louis  and  in  the  East," 

September  i4th,  1839,  "Oliver  Twist"  was 
performed  for  the  first  time  in  Chicago,  and 
Wm.  Warren  was  the  Bill  Sykes.  The 
"  American  "  lauded  his  rendition  of  the  char- 
acter, and  the  editor's  lecture  to  the  ladies  on 
theatre  going  was  beginning  to  have  effect, for 
on  this  occasion  he  writes :  "  The  front  seats 
and  boxes  were  lighted  up  with  the  beauty 
and  smiles  .of  the  fair  sex." 

"  William  Sykes  "  is  not  now  a  favorite  with 
the  ladies,  yet  if  Mr.  Warren  would  act  the 
part  in  Boston,  where  his  name  will  ever  be  a 
household  word,  there  would  be  a  lively  time 
in  securing  seats,  by  both  sexes. 


4<3  THE   THEATRE; 


On  the  i yth  of  September  the  "American" 
tells  us  that "  Master  Jefferson  sang  a  comic 
song  in  which  he  won  silver  if  not  golden 

o  o 

opinions."     Joseph  remembers  this  agreeable 
incident  and  alluded  to  it  in  his  letter  to  me. 

Frequent  changes  were  necessary  in  those 
days,  as  the  number  of  patrons  was  not  large, 
and  dramas,  comedies,  and  tragedies  of  a 
standard  character  were  given  in  rapid  suc- 
cession, the  farce  always  winding  up  the  per- 
formance, and  Master  Jefferson  was  a  favorite 
with  his  comic  songs  between  play  and  farce. 
Most  of  the  plays  of  those  days  and  the  farces 
are  now  consigned  to  the  shelves,  like  many 
other  good  things,  because  they  are  old.  Driv- 
ing the  farce  from  the  stage  was  a  misfortune 
to  the  actor's  art.  They  were  the  primaries  in 
which  the  rudiments  of  the  profession  were 
impressed  upon  young  artists,  who  now  step 
into  important  work  without  proper  tuition. 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  41 

September  23d,  1839,  is  set  down  as  the  time 
of  the  first  fairy  spectacle  in  Chicago  ;  most 
likely  without  the  fairies,  as  they  are  always 
hard  to  find  in  small  communities,  and  when 
found  create  a  clatter  among  the  village  gos- 
sips. This  first  spectacle  was  "  Cherry  and 
Fairstar,  or  the  Children  of  Cyprus."  Con- 
sidering the  fact  that  the  license  was  granted 
for  the  season  on  condition  that  no  fireworks 
should  be  introduced,  the  management  must 
have  violated  the  conditions  or  curtailed  one 
of  the  effects  of  this  drama,  a  fiery  dragon. 

To  digress,  let  me  say  "  Cherry  and  Fair- 
star"  was  the  attraction  the  first  night  I  en- 
tered a  theatre,  and  it  was  its  fire  effect  which 
riveted  it  upon  my  memory,  together  with  the 
circumstances  under  which  I  saw  it  at  the 
Park  Theatre,  New  York,  I  should  think  about 
1833.  I  was  started  in  life  under  Presbyterian 
auspices,  drifting  into  Episcopalianism ;  my 


42  THE  THEATRE; 


mother  sympathized  with  all  the  prejudices 
that  existed  at  that  time  against  theatres  and 
actors,  and  was  lavish  in  her  advice  that  I 
should  avoid  them,  which  doubtless  made  me 
a  little  more  anxious  to  find  out  how  bad  they 
really  were.  One  evening,  having  saved  my 
pennies  for  the  occasion,  I  slipped  out  of  the 
house,  and  joined  a  companion  a  few  -years 
older  than  myself,  and  we  stole  away  to  the 
Park  Theatre.  There  were  two  plays  that 
night,  one  a  Roman  tragedy,  the  name  of 
which  I  never  remembered,  the  other  "  Cherry 
and  Fairstar."  During  the  tragedy  there  were 
so  many  people  killed  that  every  word  I  had 
ever  heard  as  to  what  terrible  people  actors 
were  seemed  to  return  to  me  and  forced 
themselves  into  belief.  To  me,  during  that 
tragedy,  they  were  indeed  wicked.  In"  Cherry 
and  Fairstar"  I  saw  vice  pursuing  virtue; 
was  in  a  fever  of  excitement,  and  only  kept 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  43 

quiet  by  my  companion  who  was  somewhat 
older,  and  was  constantly  telling  me  it  was 
only  a  play.  He  had  been  there  before.  Of 
course  there  was  much  to  please  both  eye  and 
ear ;  my  sympathies  being  with  Cherry  and 
Fairstar,  I  was  ready  to  fight  for  them,  but 
when  the  fiery  dragon  came  on  the  stage 
and  Spurted  fire  from  its  mouth  into  the  pit 
where  I  was  sitting,  I  thought  of  my  disobedi- 
ence to  my  mother,  and  starting  up  ran  out  of 
the  theatre  thinking  the  devil  was  after  me. 
The  devil  was  more  dreaded  by  boys  in 
those  days  than  now.  I  reached  home,  but 
could  not  enter  the  house  without  my  mother's 
knowledge,  and  so  was  compelled  to  admit 
how  bad  I  was,  ask  forgiveness,  receive  it,  and 
join  in  her  belief  as  to  the  wickedness  of 
actors,  of  whom  she  knew  nothing,  and  the 
sin  of  going  to  the  theatre,  where  at  that  time 
she  had  never  been.  Fiery  dragons  and  Ro- 


44  THE   THEATRE; 


man  murderers  were  the  companions  of  my 
slumbers  that  night,  and  I  remained  a  good 
boy  until  I  migrated  west.  But  this  is  per- 
sonal, and  no  way  connected  with  the  early 
stage  of  Chicago,  and  the  production  of  the 
same  play,  in  which  the  fiery  dragon  did  not 
appear,  and  in  fact  he  has  never  yet  made  his 
appearance  in  any  after  production  of  the  play 
in  this  city. 

This  first  spectacle  evidently  pleased,  as  it 
was  repeated  several  times,  an  unusual  occur- 
rence in  those  days,  and  the  "  American  "  again 
called  attention  to  the  fact  that  ladies  were 
going  to  the  theatre,  as  the  prejudice  against 
their  doing  so  was  fast  wearing  away,  not 
being  supported  by  facts ;  those  opposed  to 
theatres  being  the  only  ones  able  to  present 
indictments,  with  no  evidence  to  sustain  them. 

During  this  season  of  1839  Charles  Kemble 
Mason,  quite  an  able  actor,  appeared  as  a  star, 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO. 


45 


aided  by  Mrs.  McCluer,  a  fine  actress.  They 
presented  a  series  of  Shakespearean  and 
other  standard  works.  Mr.  Mason  was  the 
Hamlet,  Macbeth,  Shylock  and  Romeo  first 
known  to  Chicago. 

The  season  terminated  November  2d,  and 
the  company  went  east,  and  I  find  no  record 
of  their  return  as  a  company,  and  certainly 
this  was  the  end  of  a  management  which  had 
done  some  good  work. 

Chicago  was  fortunate  falling  into  such 
hands  as  those  who  guided  the  early  days  of 
the  drama.  Both  managers  and  artists  cre- 
ated, with  all  not  blinded  by  prejudice,  an 
impression  favorable  to  their  profession, 
which  has  never  been  eradicated,  and  which 
had  done  much  toward  removing  the  scales 
from  eyes  which  only  gazed  with  the  light  of 
tradition,  founded  in  darkness. 

The  seven  years  following  the  termination 


46  THE   THEATRE; 


of  the  season  of  1839,  the  city  was  left  without 
any  dramatic  company  of  repute  at  all  in 
keeping  with  those  under  the  control  of  Isher- 
wood,  McKinzie  and  Jefferson.  The  cause  of 
this  seven  years'  delay  in  that  which  had 
been  so  auspiciously  begun  can  only  be  theo- 
rized upon.  I  would  attribute  it  to  the  gen- 
eral state  of  the  country  at  that  time,  brought 
about  by  the  panic  of  1837.  My  experience, 
and  I  have  seen  some  panics,  is,  that  while 
amusements  do  not  feel  any  depressing  effect 
at  first,  it  comes  by  degrees,  and  is  slow  in 
leaving.  It  is  a  mistaken  idea  that  people 
seek  amusements  when  depressed,  but  it  is  a 
correct  one  that  panics  strike  the  first  hard 
blow  at  a  few  interests,  and  in  time  the  entire 
body  politic  is  permeated  with  the  disease. 
Hence  amusements  are  the  last  to  feel  the 
blow,  and  the  last  to  recover  from  it,  receiving 
their  full  share  of  its  weight.  Trifling  and 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  47 

low  amusements  always  thrive  best  in  times  of 
general  depression,  for  the  reason  that  they 
are  patronized  by  the  unthinking  classes  who 
never  economize.  And  during  panic  times 
emotional  religion  also  sees  its  best  days. 

During  these  seven  years  the  itinerants 
which  occasionally  paid  a  visit  were  few  and  far 
between,  and  only  of  little  moment  when  here. 
The  quality  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  when  we 
consider  the  population  of  the  city  was  less 
than  5,000.  The  great  wonder  is  that  so  few 
people  were  able  to  support  the  talent  which 
the  early  managers  offered.  But  the  salaries 
of  actors  in  those  days  were  not  twenty  per 
cent  of  those  of  the  present  time. 

Circuses  and  shows  occasionally  made  an 
appearance,  but  the  first  dramatic  venture 
from  1839  to  r^42  was  made  by  Mrs.  Mary  C. 
Porter,  who  attempted  to  give  performances 
without  a  license,  which  brought  her  in  con- 


48  THE   THEATRE; 


flict  with  the  authorities,  and  on  April  4th  she 
petitioned  the  Council  to  forgive  her  past  sins 
and  grant  her  a  license  for  the  future.  Her 
prayer  was  doubtless  granted,  or  quietly  acqui- 
esed  in.  No  record  of  the  fact  exists,  but  on 
April  Qth  a  benefit  performance  was  an- 
nounced, when  "The  Manager  in  Distress" 
was  presented,  from  which  it  may  be  inferred 
that  Mrs.  Porter  had  enough  of  Chicago.  She 
was  followed  by  a  Mr.  H.  B.  Nelson,  Yankee 
story  teller  and  comedian,  and  company,  who 
remained  but  a  few  days,  and  on  August  4th, 
1842,  a  license  was  granted  to  Messrs.  Lynn 
and  Powell  for  a  season  of  one  month  at  the 
"  Rialto." 

In  their  application  they  alluded  to  the  hard 
times  and  lack  of  patronage,  and  prayed  for  a 
small  amount  to  be  named  as  a  license,  and 
the  price  was  fixed  at  $15,  and  no  record  can 
be  found  of  the  number  of  passes  the  Council 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  49 

received  for  this  generosity,  This  company 
consisted  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Powell,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Hastings,  Mrs.  Ramsey,  Mr.  Lynn,  Mrs. 
Graham,  Mr.  Sharpe  and  Mrs.  Jackson,  none 
of  whom  ever  achieved  a  lasting  fame  in  their 
profession. 

August  3Oth,  1842,  Dan.  Marble  appeared, 
accompanied  by  Mrs.  Silsbee,  and  sup- 
ported by  the  company  just  mentioned. 
"  Black-eyed  Susan"  and  the  "  Forest  Rose," 
were  the  plays  selected,  and  the  "  Democrat " 
stated  that  the  patronage  afforded  Mr.  Marble 
was  discouragingly  light,  and  added  :  "  We 
are  aware  that  a  considerable  portion  of  our 
community  will  not  countenance  a  theatre,  no 
matter  how  talented  its  members."  The  edi- 
tor could  see  no  cause  for  lack  of  patronage 
but  the  old  one,  dislike  of  the  theatre;  a  string 
always  ready  to  be  harped  upon. 

Benjamin  F.  Taylor  in  recollection  of  those 


50  THE   THEATRE; 


days  writes  thus  :  "  It  was  in  that  dirty  old  trap, 
tlie  '  Rialto,'  I  think,  that  I  saw  Dan.  Marble 
for  the  first  time.  The  play  was  '  Black-eyed 
Susan/  and  Marble's  admirable  William 
melted  the  house,  as  if  it  had  been  something 
in  a  crucible.  It  was,  in  its  way,  the  perfec- 
tion and  simplicity  of  nature.  The  audience 
was  a  little  mixed.  There  were  the  fellows 
that  in  New  York  would  have  '  Killed  for 
Keiser,'  the  '  wake-me-up-when-Kirby-dies 
stripe.'  There  was  a  small  handful  of  half 
breeds,  a  sprinkling  of  lieutenants  from  the 
army,  one  or  two  worn-out  paymasters.  The 
pit  was  full  of  sailors,  with  occasionally  a 
wharf  rat ;  but  for  fresh-water  tars  there  was  a 
wonderful  effusion  of  salt  water.  Even  the 
always  conscious  dress  circle  fluttered  with 
any  number  of  white  cambric  mops,  and  when 
the  play  took  the  right  turn  at  last,  the  'gods' 
applauded  until  the  spiders  hovering  in  their 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO. 


webs,  and  the  mice  in  the  walls,  were  whist. 
Even  the  chaps  that  spent  their  time  in  the 
interludes  in  bawling  '  boots'  and  '  supe'  and 
eating  peanuts,  mopped  out  the  corner  of 
their  eyes  with  their  d^rty  knuckles,  and  had 
the  theatrical  management  furnished  soap  as 
well  as  sorrow,  some  of  them  might  have  put 
a  better  face  on  the  matter.  I  can  see  the 
central  figures  of  that  dress  circle  to-day. 
Hands  that  I  think  of  have  shriveled  out  of 
the  white  kids  they  wore  that  night.  The 
blue  dress  coats  and  buff  vests  have  been  laid 
aside  for  other  and  stranger  wear.  Yonder, 
crowned  with  iron-gray  Jacksonian  hair,  is  the 
stately  form  of  Col.  Kercheval.  The  man 
near  him,  with  large,  luminous  eyes,  is  Hon. 
Giles  Spring,  owner  of  one  of  the  finest  judi- 
cial minds  that  ever  graced  the  state.  Beyond 
him  is  Doctor  Maxwell,  with  a  step  as  light  as 
that  of  a  wisp  of  a  girl,  for  all  of  his  two  hun- 


52  THE    THEATRE; 

dred  and  odd  pounds  of  solid  flesh.  Close 
by  are  E.  W.  Tracy,  Geo.  W.  Meeker  and 
Doctor  Stuart,  and  —  but  why  keep  on  calling 
the  dead  men's  roll  ?  Some  of  the  beauty  as 
well  as  the  manhoo4  of  the  young  city  was 
there,  and  brightened  up  the  dull  old  place 
like  moonlight ;  but  what  matters  it?  The  foot 
lights  are  out,  the  players  departed,  and  the 
air  is  full  of  dust  withal.  Down  with  the 
curtain." 

During  the  fall  of  1842,  a  theatre,  so  called, 
was  opened  in  what  was  known  as  the  Chap- 
man building,  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Wells 
(now  Fifth  Avenue)  and  Randolph  streets, 
under  the  management  of  Mr.  Hastings,  a 
member  of  the  previous  company,  which  had 
doubtless  succumbed  to  fate,  and  Mr.  Hast- 
ings was  not  long  in  following,  as  no  record  of 
his  continuance  is  made. 

September   14,   1842,   "Othello"  was  acted 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHIC  A  GO.  5  3 

in  Chapman's  building,  for  the  benefit  of  Mrs. 
Powell,  who  appeared  as  "  Desdemona,"  and 
the  "  Democrat "  suggested  that  she  introduce 
the  song  "  Strike  the  Light  Guitar,"  which  she 
sang  with  great  effect.  "  Othello  "  was  acted 
on  this  occasion  by  a  gentleman  of  the  city, 
at  the  time  a  tailor,  and  afterward  known  as 
Mr.  Geo.  Ryer,  a  very  excellent  actor,  and  one 
of  good  repute,  now  dead. 

During  the  same  fall  a  Thespian  company 
was  formed  and  petitioned  the  Council  to  per- 
mit them  to  give  occasional  dramatic  perform- 
ances without  paying  a  license  therefor.  John 
S.  Potter,  a  man  who  is  said  to  have  started 
more  theatres  and  failed  oftener  than  any 
other  man  who  lived  in  his  day,  asked  for  a 
license  to  open  a  theatre  August  gth,  1843. 
Following  him  came  the  "Learned  Pig"  in 
1844,  and  then  an  effort  was  made  to  estab- 
lish a  Museum,  and  a  free  license  asked  for 


54  THE   THEATRE; 


of  course,  or  to  quote  from  the  petition,  "  one 
demanding  no  further  compensation  than  the 
necessary  perquisites  to  the  proper  officer 
granting  the  same."  This  request  seems  to 
have  been  granted  November  2ist,  1844,  and 
the  Museum  became  a  fixed  tact,  having  a 
legal  existence.  So  numerous  had  the  applica- 
tions become  from  itinerants,  for  free  or  cheap 
licenses,  that  the  Council,  in  self  defense  I 
presume,  passed  an  ordinance  in  the  fall  of 
1844,  making  $5  a  performance  a  minimum 
and  $50  a  maximum  amount  to  be  charged, 
and  empowered  the  Mayor  to  grant  licenses  at 
these  figures,  according  to  his  discretion. 

The  Commercial  building,  73  Lake  street, 
became  the  home  of  the  Museum  in  1845. 
Its  manager,  Henry  Fuller,  boasted  of  an  ex- 
tensive variety  of  geology,  mineralogy,  con- 
chology  and  ornithology,  and  promised  that 
nothing  should  be  introduced  within  its  walls 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  55 

not  "  in  strict  accordance  with  propriety,  mo- 
rality and  religion."  Admission  25  cents, 
children  half  price. 

Manager  Fuller  on  the  i5th  of  November 
petitioned  the  Council  to  remove  the  license 
tax,  urging  that  a  Museum  was  strictly  "a 
place  of  instruction."  The  Council  was  deaf 
to  his  prayer,  and  the  Museum  struggled  on 
till  February,  1846,  when  Mr.  Fuller  made 
another  appeal,  and  after  due  deliberation  the 
Council  granted  his  request,  conditioned  that 
no  transient  entertainment  or  dramatic  per- 
formance should  be  allowed.  This  did  not 
• 

meet  the  views  of  the  manager,  who  replied  he 
would  be  under  the  necessity  of  closing  the 
Museum  unless  theatrical  performances  could 
be  given  free  of  license.  Since  the  advent 
of  Barnum,  Museums  have  been  looked  upon 
by  the  dramatic  profession  as  the  means  to  an 
end,  or  a  way  "  to  beat  the  devil  round  the 


56  THE   THEATRE; 


stump,"  for  the  reason  that  certain  good  peo- 
ple would  attend  the  performance  given  in  the 
so-called  lecture  room  of  the  Museum,  who 
would  not  enter  the  doors  of  a  theatre.  For 
the  same  reason  many  theatres  are  called 
opera  houses.  This  last  petition  of  Fuller's 
was  referred  to  a  special  committee  of  the 
Council,  which  reported  :  "  We  feel  that  the 
efforts  of  Messrs.  Fuller  and  Seacomb  to  es- 
tablish a' Museum  have  not  been  properly  ap- 
preciated by  the  citizens,  and  that  they  have 
not  been  afforded  that  encouragement  and 

patronage   which   the   merits  of  the  Museum 

• 

demand." 

The  committee  recommended  the  following, 
which  was  adopted  : 

"  Resolved,  That  in  the  opinion  of  the  Com- 
mon Council,  the  Museum  of  Messrs.  Fuller 
and  Seacomb  is  worthy  of  the  support  and 
patronage  of  the  citizens  of  Chicago  and  the 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO. 


57 


country  generally,  and  that  all  persons  having 
natural  or  artificial  curiosities  be  respectfully 
invited  to  make  contributions  of  the  same  to 
the  Museum." 

This  was  a  most  liberal  resolution,  and 
doubtless  the  only  one  of  its  kind  to  be  found 
in  the  records  of  the  city.  Mr.  Fuller  had 
evidently  captured  the  city  fathers,  for  in  ad- 
dition to  this  laudatory  resolution  an  order 
was  passed  fixing  the  amount  of  license  for  six 
months  at  the  nominal  figure  of  $5,  and  the 
Museum,  with  dramatic  attachments,  was 
vouched  for  by  the  government  of  the  city,  and 

made  an  effort  for  a  permanent  existence,  but 

• 
failed  to  succeed. 

This  is  the  history  of  the  amusements  of  the 
city  from  1834  to  1846,  briefly  recorded.  The 
"  Rialto,"  which  had  become  known  as  the 
"Theatre"  building,  was  destroyed  by  fire 
in  February,  1847.  In  the  spring  of  that  year 


58  THE   THEATRE; 


John  B.  Rice,  who  had  been  connected  with 
managerial  enterprises  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  between  Albany  and  Buffalo,  visited 
Chicago  with  a  view  of  establishing  himself  in 
the  new  city  ot  the  lakes,  and  the  hope  of 
making  it  his  home.  Being  favorably  im- 
pressed with  the  outlook  for  the  future  of  the 
place,  which  then  contained  a  population  of 
less  than  17,000,  Mr.  Rice  lost  no  time  in  se- 
lecting a  site  for  a  theatre,  on  the  south  side  of 
Randolph  street,  near  Dearborn,  and  proceed- 
ed to  erect  what  became  the  first  suitable 
building  for  the  permanent  home  of  the  drama 
in  Chicago.  The  opening  night  was  the  28th 
of  June,  1847.  The  entertainment  presented 
was  :  First,  an  address  written  by  G.  W.  Phill- 
imore,  a  member  of  the  company,  and  spoken 
by  Mr.  E.  Harris,  the  leading  man. 

I   quote  a  stanza,  directed   to   the   audience, 
evidencing  the  spirit  in  which  Mr.  Rice  began 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  59 

his  career  in  Chicago,  and  in  which  he  contin- 
ued till  the  end : 

"And  now  to  you,  to  whom  each  rolling  sun 
Brings  the  results  of  enterprise  begun; 
Who  see  the  fruits  that  bounteous  Heaven  decrees 
Traverse  the  bosom  of  your  inland  seas; 
View  growing  ports  adorn  the  flashing  strand 
Where  takes  the  tar  the  toil-brown  farmer's  hand; 
Commerce  and  Agriculture  side  by  side 
United  stand,  our  country's  glorious  pride. 
Nature's  true  noblemen  such  union  brings, 
Their  patent  coming  from  the  King  of  kings. 
Appreciate  these  gifts  dispensed  to  you, 
And  render  thanks  where  all  our  praise  is  due." 

The  first  play  was  the  comedietta  of  the 
"  Four  Sisters,"  in  which  Mrs.  Hunt  (now 
Mrs.  John  Drew)  appeared  as  the  "Four  Sis- 
ters," and  Dan.  Marble,  engaged  as  a  special 
star,  appeared  in  the  afterpiece.  The  company 
consisted  of  G.  W.  Phillimore,  Geo.  Mossop, 
Edwin  Harris,  Wm.  Meeker,  Jerry  Merrifield, 


60  THE   THEATRE; 


Mr.  Beckwith  and  Mr.  Rice,  Mrs.  Hunt,  Mrs. 
Merrifield,  Miss  Homer,  a  danseuse,  and  Mrs. 
Price. 

The  28th  of  June,  1847,  marked  the  dawn 
of  a  new  era  in  the  dramatic  life  of  the  young 
city,  then  struggling  for  position,  and  by  many 
called  at  that  time  and  for  years  after,  a  bub- 
ble. To  follow  the  changes  which  took  place 
from  that  day  to  the  destruction  of  the  heart 
of  our  city  by  fire  in  1871,  is  a  task  to  be  per- 
formed by  the  book  maker,  and  ere  long  the 
shelves  of  our  society  will  contain  a  work  giv- 
ing a  very  accurate  account  of  the  city's  prog- 
ress, and  of  the  amusements  of  all  kinds 
which  have  called  for  the  patronage  of  the  cit- 
izens from  the  foundation  of  the  city  to  the 
present  day. 

My  task  this  evening  is  to  deal  with  early 
Chicago,  and  the  spirit  which  animated  its  cit- 
izens toward  my  profession  in  those  days. 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  6 1 

Time  prevents  my  dealing  with  any  but  the 
early  days;  to  do  more  would  be  verging  into 
autobiography. 

While  Messrs.  Isherwood,  McKinzie  and 
Jefferson  may  be  considered  the  pioneers  of 
the  drama  in  Chicago,  to  John  B.  Rice  must 
be  awarded  the  honor  of  being  the  first  to  es- 
tablish for  it  a  worthy  home,  of  giving  it  a 
position  in  social  life  which  has  increased  in 
power  and  importance,  and  which,  with  fair- 
thinking  people,  must  share  the  credit  due  for 
the  building  of  a  great  and  prosperous  city. 

Mr.  Rice's  early  days  in  Chicago  were  not 
all  those  of  sunshine,  though  by  many  thought 
to  be  so.  He  was  one  of  those  men  who  could 
struggle  against  adverse  circumstances  and 
encourage  all  connected  with  him  to  look  for 
a  bright  day  to-morrow.  Chicago  has  been 
blessed  with  many  such  men,  with  whom 
failure  meant  try  again.  I  became  a  member 


62  THE   THEATRE; 


of  Mr.  Rice's  company  in  May,  1848,  when  he 
had  been  a  resident  manager  but  one  year.  I 
reached  the  city  in  a  stage  coach,  in  company 
with  an  old  'actor  and  friend,  Mr.  John  Green, 
who  being  on  his  way  to  New  York,  advised 
me  to  seek  my  professional  fortune  nearer  the 
rising  sun.  Mr.  Green  was  an  old  friend  of 
Mr.  Rice,  on  whom  we  called  to  pay  our 
respects,  and  were  both  persuaded  to  join  his 
company  and  remain  here.  I  have  never  had 
cause  to  regret  the  circumstances  which  pre- 
vented my  march  to  the  East,  nor  have  I  for- 
gotten the  cares  and  anxieties  which  beset  the 
new  manager.  I  can  recall  the  dressing- 
room  gossip ;  the  wondering  as  to  what  would 
be  the  out-growth  of  the  season,  and  the 
prophesies  that  Milwaukee  in  the  winter  must 
be  looked  to,  to  save  Chicago  in  the  summer. 
Prejudices,  brought  from  the  mother  country 
and  planted  in  New  England,  had  found  their 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  63 

way  to  the  young  city  of  the  West,  as  the  rec- 
ords thus  far  given  show,  and  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent had  taken  root.  The  stigma  that  had 
been  cast  upon  actors  by  an  English  parlia- 
ment, three  hundred  years  before,  still  lingered, 
and,  in  a  small  way,  does  so  still,  in  minds 
guided  by  trapmon^LLtXufnwj  day  \n  Chicago 

I   have  known  a  child  refused  admittance  to 

^^OCl^^ff 

a  school,  for  the  re^rm:~t-rraTthe  parents  were 

connected  with  a  theatre. 

In  our  first  walk  about  Chicago  Mr.  Green 
and  myself  ran  against  what  I  call  the  comic 
side  of  these  prejudices,  for  the  reason  that 
they  amused  me,  while  they  enraged  my  friend, 
who  was  a  warm-hearted  Irishman,  quick  to 
anger.  On  our  arrival  we  had  put  up  at  the 
Tremont  House,  but  when  engaged  by  Mr. 
Rice,  the  salary  he  could  afford  to  pay  re- 
minded us  that  we  must  seek  other  quarters, 
and  in  our  search  for  a  boarding  house  we 


64  THE   THEATRE; 


were  made  to  feel  that  a  doubt  existed  as  to 

whether    the    other    boarders    would  leave    if 

• 

actors  were  taken  in.  Mr.  Green  was  sensi- 
tive to  indignities  and  ever  ready  to  combat 
them.  I  was  more  conservative,  and  looked 
with  pity  rather  than  anger  upon  weak  minds. 

We  had  made  terms  with  a  boarding  house, 
looked  at  the  rooms  and  thought  we  were  lo- 
cated, when  the  lady  asked  what  our  business 
might  be. 

Mr.  Green  replied  proudly  :  "  We  are  actors, 
members  of  Mr.  Rice's  company." 

14  Well,"  said  the  old  lady,  "  You  look  like 
gentlemen,  but  I  have  never  had  an  actor  in 
my  house,  and  —  and  — 

"  Have  no  fear,  madam,"  replied  the  old 
gentleman,  with  the  polite  bitterness  of  an 
outraged  professional,  "  Have  no  fear,  we  will 
not  contaminate  ourselves  by  coming  into  it, 
until  it  is  thoroughly  purified." 


ITS  EARL  V  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  65 

We  left  our  first  boarding  house,  and  pro- 
ceeded in  our  search  for  another.  Passing;  a 

o 

neat  building  in  the  center  of  a  large  lot  on 
Washington  street,  between  State  and  Dear- 
born, we  noticed  the  sign  "  For  Rent,"  and 
concluded  we  might  do  well  to  commence 
housekeeping  in  a  small  way.  The  streets 
were  in  a  terrible  condition,  and  the  approach 
to  the  house  was  by  a  narrow  plankway.  We 
knocked  at  the  door  and  inquired  the  rental 
of  the  house,  and  were  told  that  the  owner 
had  decided  not  to  rent  but  sell  the  property, 
which  consisted  of  about  eighty  front  feet,  and 
a  very  good  frame  house. 

"  And  what  do  you  expect  to  sell  it  for,  may 
I  ask?"  said  Green. 

"$>i,2QO,  one  quarter  cash  and  the  balance 
in  one,  two  and  three  years,"  said  the  lady. 

"  And  do  you  think  a  gentleman  would  live 
here  three  years  if  you  should  give  him  such  a 


66  THE   THEATRE; 


mud  hole?"  said'  my  friend,  still  combative 
toward  the  inhabitants  of  a  city  who  looked 
with  doubt  upon  members  of  his  profession. 
He  could  have  bought  the  place,  which  I  pre- 
sume is  worth  now  about  double  per  foot 
for  what  he  was  offered  the  eighty.  He  died 
poor.  We  succeeded  in  finding  a  board- 
ing house,  and  I  have  never  forgotten 
it.  At  every  breakfast  the  landlord  would 
first  give  thanks  for  what  was  before  us,  and 
then  proceed  to  a  side  table,  take  up  a  large 
wooden  bowl  and  spoon,  and  pass  around  the 
table  crying  out  to  each  boarder  "  apple  sass  ?" 
and  before  the  boarder  could  say  yes  or  no 
his  plate  was  filled  with  stewed  dried  apples, 
which,  if  he  made  way  with,  would  sustain  him 
until  dinner  time.  It  was  a  boarding  house 
where  actors  were  not  objected  to,  but  where 
they  remained  but  a  short  time.  Returning 
to  the  Tremont  to  prepare  to  move,  the 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  67 

crowning  indignity  of  the  day  was  offered  my 
old  friend.  The  clerk  handed  us  from  the 
box  containing  the  keys  to  our  rooms,  each  a 
notice,  which  read  something  like  this : 

"  You  are  hereby  notified  to  appear  on  the 
2Oth  day  of  May,  1848,  at  seven  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  at  the  corner  of  Wells  and  South 
Water  streets,  with  shovel  and  pickaxe,  to 
work  on  the  streets  under  the  direction  of," 
etc.,  etc. 

For  the  moment,  having  no  knowledge  of  the 
local  laws,  Mr.  Green  thought  this  outrage,  as 
he  termed  it,  was  an  intended  insult  to  his 
profession,  meaning  that  actors  were  only  fit 
for  street  cleaners.  I  endeavored  to  appease 
the  old  gentleman,  and  did  so  by  suggesting 
that  we  obey  the  summons  and  turn  it  into 
ridicule,  by  presenting  ourselves  at  the  time 
and  place  named,  as  the  first  and  second  grave 
diggers  in  Hamlet,  with  a  "pickaxe  and  a 


68  THE   THEATRE; 


spade."  The  old  man  laughed,  and  before  the 
time  arrived  we  had  forgotten  the  summons, 
and  the  officers  of  the  law,  as  is  frequently  the 
case,  being  forgetful  of  their  duties,  the  streets 
were  in  no  better  condition  from  our  labors. 

Mr.  Rice's  company  was  not  large  in  num- 
bers, but  all  were  capable  of  playing  many 
parts.  Skillful  doubling  of  characters  was 
part  of  the  art  a  young  actor  was  proud  of, 
and  hence  the  length  of  cast  was  no  bar  to  the 
production  of  a  play,  so  all  the  standard  works 
and  new  ones  from  eastern  theatres  were 
given  in  rapid  succession ;  the  work  of  an 
actor  in  those  days  being  a  mountain,  com- 
pared to  which  the  labor  of  the  present-day 
actor  is  but  a  mole  hill.  During  Mr.  Rice's 
first  season,  T.  D.  Rice  (Jim  Crow  Rice),  J. 
E.  Murdock,  E.  S.  Conner  and  Julia  Dean 
made  their  first  appearance  in  Chicago  as 
special  or  star  attractions.  They  repeated 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  69 

their  visits  in  1848,  and  their  numbers  were 
increased  by  the  first  appearance  of  Edwin 
Forrest,  the  elder  Booth  and  Barney  Williams. 
Charlotte  Cushman  and  Eliza  Logan,  bright 
gems  in  the  dramatic  galaxy  of  American 
women,  came  later,  and  added  to  the  number 
of  noted  artists  who  acted  in  Chicago  by  lamp 
and  candle  light,  as  did  all  who  appeared  at 
Mr.  Rice's  Randolph  street  theatre,  as  gas 
was  not  used  in  Chicago  until  September  4, 
1850. 

Monday,  July  29,  1850,  the  first  operatic 
performance  was  given  in  Rice's  Theatre. 
Somnambula  was  the  opera,  with  Miss  Eliza 
Brienti  as  Amina,  Mr.  Manvers  as  Elvino, 
and  Mr.  Guibeti  as  Count  Rodolpho.  These 
operatic  artists  were  assisted  by  the  dramatic 
company,  Miss  Helen  Mathers,  a  very  good 
vocalist,  filling  the  part  of  Liza,  and  myself, 
whose  vocal  abilities  have  never  been  rated 


7O  THE   THEATKE. 


below  their  value,  acting  at  the  comic  lover  of 
Amina,  and  making  all  the  noise  I  possibly 
could  in  the  phantom  chorus,  thinking  I  was 
singing. 

Somnambula  was  to  be  repeated  Tuesday, 
July  3Oth,  but  the  opera  had  not  proceeded  far 
when  the  alarm  of  fire  was  giveri,  and  in  less 
than  an  hour  the  theatre  was  a  heap  of  ruins. 
The  fire  did  not  occur  in  the  theatre,  but  in  a 
stable  hear  by,  and  nearly  the  entire  block, 
composed  of  frame  buildings,  was  quickly 
destroyed.  This  fire  put  an  end  to  opera  and 
to  our  season,  but  not  to  Mr.  Rice's  energy. 
The  company  took  to  the  road  and  appeared 
in  St.  Charles,  Naperville,  Aurora,  and  filled 
up  their  time  as  best  they  could,  until  Mr. 
Rice  could  commence  his  season  in  Milwau- 
kee. He  lost  no  time  in  erecting  a  new  and 
better  theatre  by  far  than  the  one  destroyed 
by  fire,  it  being  of  brick.  This  time  the  loca- 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  7 1 

tion  was  on  Dearborn  street,  midway  between1 
Randolph  and  Washington.  After  the  burn- 
ing of  Mr.  Rice's  Theatre,  the  large  dancing 
hall  in  the  Tremont  House  was  temporarily 
fitted  up  for  a  theatre,  and  it  was  here  that  the 
Batemen  Children  first  made  their  appearance 
in  this  city,  and  Patti  gave  her  first  concert 
April  21,  1852.  Mr.  Rice's  second  theatre 
was  opened  to  the  public  February  ^d,  1851. 
The  performance  commenced  with  the  com- 
pany singing  "The  Star  Spangled  Banner," 
then  an  address  spoken  by  Mrs.  Rice,  and  fol- 
lowed by"  Love  in  Humble  Life,"  ''  Captain  of 
the  Watch,"  and  "The  Dumb  Belle,"  and 
shortly  after  the  opening  "  Cinderella,  or  the 
Little  Glass  Slipper,"  was  given  for  the  first 
time  in  Chicago,  and  during  this  season  Mr. 
Rice  set  a  week  aside  for  my  appearance  in  a 
round  of  Yankee  characters,  which  had  for- 
merly been  acted  by  Dan.  Marble,  who  died  in 


72  THE  THEATRE; 


1849,  and  of  whose  widow  I  bought  his  plays, 
for  the  purpose  of  trying  what  I  could  do  as 
a  Yankee  star.  During  the  year  1850,  the  late 
Samuel  Myers  became  a  member  of  Mr.  Rice's 
company,  and  for  twenty-four  years  served  an 
honorable  professional  career  in  his  adopted 
city. 

To  mention  the  many  notable  incidents, 
productions  of  plays  and  appearances  of  actors 
who  have  passed  away  or  become  prominent 
during  Mr.  Rice's  management,  would  occupy 
too  much  time.  Mr.  Rice  must  pass  into  his- 
tory as  the  founder  of  the  theatre  in  Chicago, 
and,  speaking  from  a  professional  standpoint, 
it  was  fortunate  for  the  young  city,  and  for  the 
profession,  that  he  took  the  helm  when  he  did, 
and  guided  the  amusements  of  those  days,  for 
he  gave  dignity  to  every  position  he  filled  dur- 
ing life.  The  magnetism  of  his  own  honesty 
and  sense  of  right  made  itself  felt  by  all  who 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  73 

came  in  contact  with  him.  Many  who  had 
joined  in  the  prejudices  against  his  calling 
became  its  friends  on  knowing  him.  Mr.  Rice 
retired  from  theatrical  life  in  1856,  and  shortly 
after  converted  his  theatre  into  business  prop- 
erty, and  remained  a  private  citizen  until 
April  1 8th,  1865,  when  he  was  elected  mayor 
of  the  city,  and  reflected  to  the  same  office  in 
1867,  and  his  fellow  citizens  who  placed  him 
in  that  position  never  had  cause  to  regret  the 
act.  He  graced  that  office  as  he  had  his  pro- 
fessional position,  as  he  did  the  National  Con- 
gress, to  which  he  was  elected  in  the  fall  of 
1872,  and  of  which  he  was  a  member  when 
the  call  was  made  for  him  to  assume  the  char- 
acter of  immortality,  which  call  he  heard  on 
the  1 7th  of  December,  1874,  he  being  in  his 
sixty-fifth  year. 

As  a  tribute  to  his  memory,  which  will  be 
ever  cherished  by  those  who  knew  him,  I  ask 


74  THE   THEATRE; 


the  Society  to  accept  this  portrait  of  him,  and 
give  it  a  fitting  place  upon  its  walls.*  To  have 
known  Mr.  Rice  intimately,  to  have  come  in 
contact  with  him,  was  to  have  opportunities  of 
receiving  lessons  in  true  manhood. 
Like  my  old  friend  and  manager, 

"  If  more  would  act  the  play  of  life, 
And  never  spoil  it  in  rehearsal, 
If  prejudice  would  sheath  its  knife 

And  truth  become  more  universal, 
If  custom,  gray  with  ages  grown 
Had  fewer  blind  men  to  adore  it ; 
If  right  made  might 
In  every  fight, 
The  world  would  be  the  better  for  it." 

The  play  and  player  have  their  mission. 
"  Men  are  but  children  of  a  larger  growth," 
and,  like  the  infant  *in  the  cradle,  the  full-grown 
man  must  be  amused  or  he  will  become  rest- 
less and  unruly. 

*A  portrait  painted  by  Mr.  John  Phillips. 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  75 

To  study  the  wants,  the  necessities,  the  re- 
quirements of  mankind  should  be  the  labor  of 
those  who  claim  they  aim  to  elevate  the  race. 
Every  phase  of  our  social  life  is  attended  with 
evils  which  should  be  lopped  off,  and  without 
doubt  our  amusements  and  our  literature  re- 
quire and  should  receive  a  blow  from  the 
legal  knife.  Unfortunately,  under  our  form  of 
government  (the  weak  points  of  which  we  are 
slow  to  strengthen),  being  early  taught  that 
"  every  man  is  a  sovereign,"  and  with  the  say- 
ing sounding  in  our  ear  "the  King  can  do  no 
wrong,"  together  with  state  rights,  county 
rights,  city  rights  and  town  rights,  it  is  plain 
to  see  what  obstacles  beset  the  rights  of  pro- 
priety. Our  amusements  should  be  worthy 
of  thought,  for  they  take  part  in  the  march 
from  barbarism  to  civilization.  Whatever 
pleasure  carries  with  it  a  desire  for  an  acknowl- 
edged vice  should  be  marked  from  the  list  of 


76  THE    THEATRE; 


rational  amusements,  and  those  which  lead  to 
nothing  worse  than  is  contained  within  them- 
selves should  be  the  standard  pleasures  of 
mankind;  and  their  proper  guidance  should  oc- 
cupy the  thoughts  of  those  we  select  to  gov- 
ern, as  the  thought  of  the  parent  watches  and 
directs  the  pastime  of  the  child.  If  an  amuse- 
ment creates  a  desire  to  gamble,  the  pleasure 
it  gives  is  overbalanced  by  the  sin  it  promotes. 
When  the  pleasure  of  those  advanced  in  years 
is  reached  at  the  expense  of  bad  example  to 
the  young,  it  should  be  our  duty  to  discourage 
the  pleasure,  for  the  effect  of  good  or  bad  ex- 
ample is  stronger  than  that  of  good  or  bad 
advice.  A 'short  game  of  home  gambling  in  a 
happy  household  may  sow  seed,  yielding  a 
harvest  of  sorrow.  From  that  to  the  speed  of 
the  horse,  with  a  view  of  improving  the  useful- 
ness of  the  animal  to  man,  our  so-called 
"  national  game,"  and  the  sports  of  our  col- 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO. 


leges,  called  athletic,  may  not  many  exclaim 
"  Good  Lord  deliver  us,"  for  by  indulging  in 
them  desires  are  created  which  may  mark  the 
destiny  even  of  the  looker  on.  Let  the  good 
men,  even  the  deacons,  who  rarely,  if  ever,  go 
to  a  theatre,  finding  their  amusement  in  the 
social  game  of  poker,  —  which  I  hear  is  to  be 
called  "  Commerce,"  as  a  refining  title,  suitable 
for  the  fashionable  home,  —  reflect  upon  the 
example  they  are  placing  before  those  whose 
steps  they  guide. 

That  the  drama  can  be,  and  to  a  large  ex- 
tent is,  so  shaped  as  to  yield  harmless  pleasure 
cannot  be  disproved.  It  is  man's  natural 
amusement,  and  when  joined  with  its  adjunct, 
music,  is  capable  of  assuming  so  many  forms  as 
to  be  everlasting  in  the  pleasure  it  provides. 
That  it  may  be  distorted  and  made  foul,  as  it 
doubtless  sometimes  is,  having  no  laws  to 
check  it,  and  no  governments  to  enforce  laws 


78  THE   THEATRE; 


if  they  existed,  is  no  argument  against  the 
good  that  is  in  it,  more  than  the  misuse  of  the 
Christian  religion  (and  it  has  had  such  use) 
should  lead  to  a  disbelief  in  a  future  life.  The 
amusements  of  the  people  and  their  religion 
are  of  equal  importance.  Language  is  but  the 
clothing  of  thought,  and  as  a  beautiful  form 
may  be  wrapped  in  rags  to  its  disparagement, 
so  thought,  worthy  and  noble,  may  be  disfig- 
ured by  the  words  with  which  it  is  conveyed. 
When  we  learn  to  look  beyond  the  surface 
with  eyes  capable  to  discriminate,  then  will 
the  beautiful  form  and  noble  thought  be  taken 
at  their  just  value,  regardless  of  the  raiment 
which  disfigures  them.  A  heart  prayer  needs 
no  words  to  bear  it  to  the  infinite. 

Addison,  the  author  of  an  essay  on  the  evi- 
dence of  Christianity,  and  also  of  the  tragedy 
of"  Cato,"  in  speaking  of  Betterton,  the  actor, 
said  he  had  received  from  his  performances, 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO. 


79 


"  more  strong  impressions  of  what  is  great  and 
noble  in  human  nature  than  from  the  argu- 
ments of  the  most  solid  philosophers,  or  the 
descriptions  of  the  most  charming  poets  he 
had  ever  read." 

Jeremy  Collier,  who  lived  and  preached  in  the 
seventeenth  century,  and  whom  later  ministers 
imitate  in  wholesale  denunciation  and  sug- 
gested suppression  of  the  theatre,  admitted  it 
to  be  "  the  purpose  of  the  play  to  recommend 
virtue  and  the  discontinuance  of  vice,  to  show 
the  uncertainty  of  human  greatness,  and  the 
unhappy  conclusions  of  violence  and  injustice  ; 
to  expose  the  singularities  of  pride ;  to  repress 
affectation ;  to  make  falsehood  contemptible, 
and  in  short,  to  bring  infamy  and  neglect  upon 
every  bad  thing  that  deserves  their  visitation." 
That  is  not  a  bad  purpose  admitted  by  an 
ancient  enemy  of  the  theatre  ;  an  enemy  for 
the  reason  that  he  looked  only  on  the  surface. 


8O  THE   THEATRE; 


One  phase  of  the  history  of  the  theatre  in 
Chicago  debars  the  institution  of  the  respect 
of  many  good  people,  who,  while  thinking 
they  see  plainly,  only  do  so  in  the  strong  light 
of  prejudice;  hence  to  them  faults  seem  glar- 
ing, .which  to  others,  equally  pure  as  them- 
selves, appear  dim  and  trifling.  It  needs  no 
ghost  to  come  from  the  grave  to  tell  us  our 
habits  are  fast  changing  from  those  which 
prevailed  a  hundred  years  ago,  or  even  fifty, 
in  puritan  New  England.  And,  as  in  the  days 
when  the  Reformation  began,  many  pure  peo- 
ple saw  the  destruction,  by  it,  of  all  good,  so 
with  our  changing  habits  many  see  nothing  but 
evil,  while  the  world  is  growing  better  every 
day,  and  man  advancing  in  his  mission.  In 
most  of  our  American  cities  Sunday  theatri- 
cals are  unknown,  and  were  so  here  until 
within  the  now  ending  decade.  That  they 
have  so  strong  a  hold  here  is  by  a  certain 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICA  GO.  8  I 

portion  of  worthy  citizens  attributed  to  the  de- 
generacy of  the  theatre,  and  to  this  class  of 
good  people,  who  should  be  ever  ready  to  cor- 
rect an  error  of  judgment,  I  direct  my  atten- 
tion, believing  they  are  to  be  found  among  the 
members  of  this  society,  and  therefore  regard- 
ed as  having  a  pride  in  all  that  pertains  to  the 
city,  and  its  progress  in  all  matters  tending  to 
make  it  the  metropolis  of  their  dreams  in 
youth,  reaching  reality  as  they  approach  the 
allotted  time  of  man. 

It  is  not  my  desire  to  shield  the  theatre 
from  one  iota  of  its  sins ;  but  rather  expose 
them  with  the  hope  of  bettering  ;  but  in  pre- 
paring history  let  us  look  facts  squarely  in  the 
face,  and  adduce  from  them  truth  which  will 
stand  without  support.  As  citizens  of  a  cos- 
mopolitan city  we  cannot  escape  a  certain  re- 
sponsibility for  the  social  errors  of  the  same. 
As  we  become  neglectful  of  our  citizenship, 

6 


82  THE   THEATRE; 


errors  take  root,  and  to  the  extent  that  we 
love  political  party  more  than  city,  the  evil 
grows.  Had  the  Chinese  first  attempted  Sun- 
day theatricals  in  Chicago  one  Sabbath  would 
have  ended  them,  for  Chinese  are  not  voters  ! 
But  says  my  worthy  citizen,  the  Chinese  do 
give  them  in  Sart  Francisco.  True,  but  San 
Francisco  imbibes  its  customs  and  ideas  of  the 
proprieties  of  social  life,  not  from  New  Eng- 
land, as  much  as  from  Mexico  and  Spain, 
where  Sunday  ends  when  mass  is  over,  and 
vespers  is  the  connecting  link  of  saint  and 
man.  Had  the  evil,  so  called,  been  inaugu- 
rated by  Americans,  its  life  would  have  been 
equally  brief,  for  while  Americans  vote,  they 
are  seldom,  if  ever,  looked  upon  by  political 
parties  as  a  balance  of  power,  and  hence  their 
wishes  are  seldom  considered  by  wire  pullers. 
The  Sunday  theatre  was  first  started  here  in 
a  foreign  language,  whether  Dutch,  Swedish, 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  83 

German  or  Scandinavian,  I  am  not  prepared 
to  say,  nor  does  it  matter  which,  as  we  are  in 
the  habit  of  classing  all  these  from  a  political 
standpoint,  as  Germans,  and  while  we  have  no 
better  citizens,  their  ideas  as  to  the  Sabbath 
do  not  conform  with  the  New  England  idea, 
and  as  the  German  is  more  liberal  his  views 
are  gaining  strength  throughout  this  country. 
In  New  York,  Boston,  and  Philadelphia,  Sun- 
day-night concerts  are  given,  and  theatrical 
performances  will  follow.  I  hear  in  Old  Eng- 
land, always  slow,  they  have  got  as  far  as 
Sunday  rehearsals.  In  my  day  Boston  did  not 
permit  Saturday-night  theatricals,  considering 
them  too  near  Sunday,  but  as  the  world  ad- 
vances the  old-fashioned  Sunday  of  our  boy- 
hood would  seem  to  have  dropped  behind,  and 
it  is  for  the  thinkers  to  say  what  they  intend 
to  do  about  it.  Opposition  to  Sunday  amuse- 
ments has  more  sentiment  in  it  than  phil- 


84  THE   THEATRE; 


osophy.  To  the  average  American  the  day 
appeals  to  the  religious  element  of  his  nature, 
which  from  infancy  has  taught  him  to  rever- 
ence the  day  and  keep  it  holy,  or  at  least 
to  hide  his  sins  on  that  day  from  his  fellow 
men.  Now  the  same  religious  element  is  in- 
herited by  our  foreign-born  citizens,  but  his 
early  education  has  taught  him  to  apply  it  in 
a  different  way.  Both  Americans  and  Ger- 
mans are  selfish,  and  both  view  the  subject 
with  all  the  force  which  selfishness  begets,  and 
herein  lies  the  stumbling  block  of  the  human 

o 

race.  Selfishness  is  a  birthright  implanted 
in  our  nature  to  insure  the  progress  of  our 
race,  which,  when  perfection  is  reached,  will 
cast  it  off,  and  Earth  will  become  Heaven. 
It  is  the  abuse  of  this  inheritance  which  all 
good  citizens  should  combat  with  thought, 
discretion  and  discrimination.  It  guides  those 
who  seek  and  those  who  oppose  Sunday 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  85 

amusement.  I  am  opposed  to  them,  not  from 
the  harm  they  do  to  those  who  seek  to  be 
amused,  for  my  experience  tells  me  to  that 
class  they  are  harmless,  and  give  pleasure. 
But  my  opposition  springs  from  the  fact  that 
labor  and  anxiety  are  added  to  those  who  fur- 
nish the  amusement,  and  who  require  and  de- 
serve an  equal  amount  of  rest  with  their  fellow 
man.  Every  merchant  will  admit  that  evils 
exist  in  his  business  which  he  is  powerless  to 
remedy,  and  so  he  drifts  along  with  the  tide 
of  his  trade.  If  we  view  the  subject  with 
judgment  we  must  arrive  at  the  conclusion 
that  the  public  amusement  unfit  for  Sunday 
should  not  be  tolerated  any  day.  If  one  day 
is  better  than  another,  let  us  aim  to  elevate 
man  up  to  that  day  and  have  the  others  fol- 
low. If  we  arrive  at  the  conclusion  that  in 
large  cities  like  ours,  the  masses  must  be  pro- 
vided with  amusement,  even  on  Sunday,  let 


86  THE  THEATRE; 


us  bend  our  energies  to  have  such  as  are  least 
harmful,  while  they  satisfy  the  demand.  The 
drama  and  music  have  no  sin  as  a  companion; 
their  teachings  lead  to  purity,  morality  and 
the  religion  of  nature.  The  many  forms  they 
assume  are  like  the  church  creeds,  serving  to 
please  "  many  men  of  many  minds,"  and  can 
be  so  shaped  as  to  be  everlasting  in  their  use- 
fulness. No  sin,  vice,  wickedness  of  any  na- 
ture traced .  to  their  door  but  can  be  found 
lurking  throughout  our  social  system,  spring- 
ing from  frailty,  born  with  humanity. 

"  Little  or  much  of  what  we  see,  we  do; 
We  are  all  both  actors  and  spectators  too." 

Let  us  recognize  that  "  all  the  world's  a 
stage,  and  all  the  men  and  women  merely 
players."  Let  us  seek  to  understand  that  the 
life  of  these  players  is  eternal;  having  its 
entrances  and  its  exits;  is  restless;  disap- 
pears in  darkness;  cannot  be  seen  —  but  it  is 


ITS  EARL  Y  DA  YS  IN  CHICAGO.  87 

still  life  !  Could  we  so  regulate  this  world  as 
to  suit  all  classes,  with  their  many  whims  and 
caprices,  there  would  be  no  need  of  Heaven, 
for  Earth  would  be  perfect,  and  the  end  of 
life's  prologue  called  "  death,"  would  not  be 
necessary  to  lead  us  to  a  home  where  selfish- 
ness is  unknown. 

Man's  chief  labor  should  be  to  work  for 
man !  To  work  for  him  in  a  worldly  and 
practical  way.  To  please  and  satisfy  the 
Father,  aid  his  children.  Our  churches  and 
all  living  in  large  cities  blessed  with  more  than 
an  average  share  of  this  world's  good,  should 
unite  in  a  work  that  for  the  masses  would  fur- 
nish free  amusement  at  least  once  a  week,  and 
for  this  no  better  day  than  Sunday.  This 
would  be  a  missionary  work  worthy  the 
worker,  producing  good  results  in  our  very 
midst.  Many  reasons  can  be  urged  for  this 
work,  for,  glancing  at  the  history  of  the  world, 


88  THE   THEATRE: 


since  the  dawn  of  the  Christian  era,  with  a 
mind  free  from  prejudice,  have  we  not  cause 
to  hope,  as  we  view  the  advance  of  man,  that 
before  that  era  has  doubled  its  age  the  spirit- 
ual body  will  have  gained  such  power  over 
the  natural  body,  that  man  in  his  purified  state 
will  stand  erect,  beneath  a  halo  of  truth,  and 
with  the  honest  pride  of  one  who  has  fought 
the  earth  battle,  and  subdued  selfishness,  ex- 
claim: "  Thy  will  is  clone  on  Earth,  as  it  is 
in  Heaven  ! " 

CHICAGO,  February,  1884. 


I  a 


. 

; 


. 


